Thread: The Wright bros..........

First powered controlled flight to be predantic.

Most people miss out those two important middle words as many people had managed either flight - balloons - gliders or powered - at school those many years ago we learnt about a Kiwi who was the first to achieve powered flight however did not progress any further as the UK government told them not to be so silly as it was impossible.

Also not often reported is that the Wright Brothers were under USA rules able to patient the principal of flight as an 'invention'. Any one in the USA who wanted to build any kind of powered controlled flying machine had to pay them a royalty for using their 'invention'. Sort of like Isaac Newton having a patient on gravity and charging everyone in the world for being able to remain attached to it.

This lasted until the USA entered WW2 when the USA government realised how much it was going to cost them and passed special leglislation to cancel the patient. Until them the USA government had supported the Wright brothers attempts which were largly rebuffed to enforce their patient world wide.

That these guys were the first to achieve powered flight is a grey area. Many people had been attempting powered flight around the world for at least 50 serious years prior. An aussie came close, an englishman almost flew a 3 tonne plane off rails, and there are several claims that others were first including a frenchman paid by the french army to make a powered aircraft. He did so and apparently did fly it in front of commanders. It was an amazing aircraft not just because it flew but because it also had RETRACTABLE WHEELS!!!

That Kiwi guy was called Richard Pearce, generally known as the first to powered flight, I think by a few years too, but the American's want to hang on to their history too much to recognise it...

I read, a long time ago, about the real possibility that the accolade could quite rightly belong to an Australian. The speed of communication robbed us of the credit. I don't recall any further detail, other than it happend in Melbourne (?), and have since not come accross more information.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

I read, a long time ago, about the real possibility that the accolade could quite rightly belong to an Australian. The speed of communication robbed us of the credit. I don't recall any further detail, other than it happend in Melbourne (?), and have since not come accross more information.

There was an aussie experimenting with a correct wing, good P to W engines and props, all he had to do was solve the prop problem which he coudnt do. He then dropped the prop thing and went back to flappig wings. Apparently the Wright bros took all the research he had done this far and went from there to develop a good prop.

Originally Posted by F4Phantom

There was an aussie experimenting with a correct wing, good P to W engines and props, all he had to do was solve the prop problem which he coudnt do. He then dropped the prop thing and went back to flappig wings. Apparently the Wright bros took all the research he had done this far and went from there to develop a good prop.

The guy to whom I refer, supposedly conducted a controlled flight mere days or so prior to the Wright Brothers effort.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

The guy to whom I refer, supposedly conducted a controlled flight mere days or so prior to the Wright Brothers effort.

Well I would like to know more. However it is still a grey area because we dont have exact records. It could well be the wright bros but it is likley they were the first well promoted.


[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_flying_machine]First flying machine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

* Clément Ader, France — October 9, 1890

He reportedly made the first manned, powered, heavier-than-air flight of a significant distance (50 m) but insignificant altitude from level ground in his bat-winged monoplane, the Ader Éole . Seven years later, the Avion III (a different machine) was said to be flown upon 300 metres (in fact just lifted off the ground, and lost control). The event was not publicized until many years later, as it had been a military secret. The events were poorly documented, the aeroplane not suited to have been controlled; there was no further development. Later in life Ader claimed to have flown the Avion II in 1891 for over 200 meters.

"Lawrence Hargrave, Australia—November 12, 1894,

The Australian inventor of the box kite, linked four of his kites together, added a sling seat, and flew 16 feet. By demonstrating to a sceptical public that it was possible to build a safe and stable flying machine, Hargrave opened the door to other inventors and pioneers. Hargrave devoted most of his life to constructing a machine that would fly. He believed passionately in open communication within the scientific community and would not patent his inventions. Instead, he scrupulously published the results of his experiments in order that a mutual interchange of ideas may take place with other inventors working in the same field, so as to expedite joint progress."


Its a far cry from the wright bros who patended powered flight, what tossers.